Tony Abbott – Dick Move in ACT

Ryan Auberson-Walsh is a sassy Sydneysider who enjoys cocktails and writing from opinion. A student at the University of Technology, Sydney, he was the 2013 editor-in-chief of annual Querelle, and has previously interned at SameSame.com.au and Australian Traveller. His work has also been published in Cream and Vertigo. @ryanaubiee on Twitter & Instagram.

Needing almost a week to recover from this embarrassing and demeaning blow (there was a lot of bourbon involved), I, along with many other Australians, are appalled at the actions of Members of Parliament who are meant to respect, appreciate and represent the values that we hold dear as a nation. But last week proved that Tony Abbott’s Christian Lobby-backed wealthy white man mission to ‘save’ the ACT from exercising the right to allow all citizens equal marriage under law was a priority worth fulfilling.

Despite having mentioned during the federal election race that marriage equality was not one of his priorities, Tone Abet made room in his busy schedule to overturn a simple law that brought Australia forward a decade in terms of Western World equality standards.

This is where I’ve decided to draw a line in the sand and beg that Abbott’s hideous, budgie-smuggling soul doesn’t cross. It’s time for a change, but one man is holding all the cards, and abusing it.

As someone who previously blocked a conscience vote on the issue within his own party, his personal vendetta against the LGBTQ community is utterly mind-blowing when taking into consideration that he has an openly gay sister with intentions to marry her partner.

To be fair, he’s not the only Liberal politician/**** in power who represents the Australian nation. Senator Cory Bernardi last year drew a comparison between homosexuality and bestiality, resulting in him leaving his position as parliamentary secretary.

“If Malcolm Turnbull wants to talk about fringe issues outside party policy, he should resign from the frontbench,” Bernardi told the ABC on Monday.

Joyful though, is seeing the Liberal party begin infighting over an issue so close to my heart.

In another interesting move from the PM, albeit unusual, he has since backed Turnbull, saying that he has the right to his own opinions. Hear, hear Tony, you’ve actually learnt something. Now how about you take the extra step and give everyone else in the party a conscience vote, not just your right-hand man?

Or are you just afraid that doing so would result in Australia leaping forward from the delusional 50s-style era that you’ve become accustomed to?

Vada Magazine heads to the island nation of Malta, the number one LGBT destination according to the European Rainbow Index, and has put together a Travel Guide to advise the best places eat, drink and have fun
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Vada Magazine heads to the island nation of Malta, the number one LGBT destination according to the European Rainbow Index, and has put together a Travel Guide to advise the best places to see and what do
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